Thursday, April 1, 2004

Placentia Library - Library Celebrates Seuss Centennial

Library celebrates Seuss Centennial:
Party adds birthday cake to the menu with green eggs and ham.
The Orange County Register: March 4, 2004 by Veronica Rodriguez

With their mouths full of green eggs and ham, kids of all ages intently listened to the words of Dr. Seuss during the Seussical Centennial celebration Sunday in the Placentia Library.

The hourlong event marked the late Theodor ``Ted'' Seuss Geisel's 100th birthday and his legacy, as the famed author Dr. Seuss, for his work as a writer and illustrator of 44 children's books.

``This (event) is just an outreach for the community to get involved and understand the brains of a tremendous children's book writer,'' said Jim Roberts, literacy coordinator for Families for Literacy.

The group hosted the event, in celebration of Dr. Seuss' March 2 birthday, which coincided with the annual Read Across America event.

Families for Literacy members and volunteers were among those who read some of Dr. Seuss' most notable books, including ``Green Eggs and Ham,'' The Cat in the Hat'' and ``Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!'' to a crowd of almost 100 guests Sunday.

As readers turned pages, the children's curious voices interrupted storytellers with comments and often questioned ``Why?''

This interaction, according to Diane Martlaro, a library volunteer for four years, was a symbol of children's innocence and interest in the words of Dr. Seuss and of tremendous gratification for her service.

``When kids are asking questions, you know they're listening. They're interested. They're excited; and that is awesome,'' Martlaro said.

San Clemente resident Gloria Paoletti said she was baby-sitting and decided to bring her Placentia granddaughters -- Natalia, 11, Adriana, 9, Daniela, 6, and Katarina Balgojevic, 5 -- to the program. The oldest three are Golden Elementary School students.

``They are just enjoying the event thoroughly. ... They have had more than one serving of green eggs and ham.''

``No, two or three servings,'' interrupted Natalia as her grandmother giggled. ``Daniela had one and a half.''

Of course, the party couldn't end without a birthday cake.

Volunteers cut the cake and each child received a free copy of ``Gerald McBoing Boing,'' to encourage the continued exploration of Dr. Seuss' world full of entertainment and imagination.

Four-year-old Eliza Bruner of Placentia gets a front-row seat for the Seussical Centennial party Sunday, a Family for Literacy program at the Placentia Library. About 100 people marked the 100th anniversary of the author's birth.

Caitlyn Schrepfer, 7, of Placentia is wowed by a Dr. Seuss book being read Sunday at the Family for Literacy's Seussical Centennial at the Placentia Library.